The inimitable Monica Jahan Bose will, once again, visit Miami with a performance piece. That piece, entitled, Jalobayu, will take place as part of Select Art Fair (7200-7300 Collins Ave.) on Miami Beach 4 p.m., Friday December 5. Jalobayu means “climate” in Bengali (combining the words for water and wind). “The body, wrapped in a 216-foot sari written on and worn by 12 coastal women in Bangladesh, collaborates with wind, sand, and water to speak to increasing cyclones, sea level rise, and loss of food and heritage caused by climate change. The endless sari is part of STORYTELLING WITH SARIS, a collaborative art and advocacy project highlighting gender and climate change. JALOBAYU juxtaposes women’s words and their worn saris against the backdrop of the rising ocean in Miami Beach,” says Bose. “The intent is to raise awareness of climate change and link Miami Beach to coastal Bangladesh, both of which face devastation due to climate change. The performance starts in the Pavilion, moves to the beach, includes viewers in the sari procession, and eventually ends with me entering the water. I will be encouraging viewers to hold the massive sari and join the performance and also to text and tweet images and reactions to me. “ It is a little difficult to visualize but the Bose’s work is often that way; there is the purpose, there is the interaction with viewers and there is communication with viewers. The ongoing, worldwide, Storytelling with Saris collaboration here makes an interesting point; it isn’t just poor countries like Bangladesh that face climate change, it is everyone. This is especially true of a city like Miami Beach which sometimes floods when the moon is full.

Do not think because Bose mixes art with activism that it is any less art--there is an aesthetic to her work, a beauty to it , that stands on its own outside of its ultimate aim--as important as that aim is. Her work is multifaceted and vibrant. She brings difficult issues alive in an artistic sense.

Bose is an artist, lawyer and activist. All of these are reflected in her work which speaks to women’s empowerment and resilience; especially in the face of societal and environmental challenges. “I use the sari in my work as a symbol for the female body, fertility, and energy. I am currently engaged in a long term art and advocacy project called STORYTELLING WITH SARIS with 12 women from my ancestral village, a community ravaged by climate change.” she says. For those wondering what a sari is; it is a five to 18 foot long by four feet wide drape that is commonly worn in South Asia. Women wrap the drape around the waist and ultimately drape it over the shoulder. It is an unmistakable article of clothing. Bose’s artistic work is not all performance; she is a painter and a printmaker as well. Some of her prints and paintings will be shown by Gallery Cosmos from Dhaka, Bangladesh at Select (booth C3). There will also be a video/installation related to Jalobayu at the booth. This latest performance is, as you may have gathered, part of an ongoing artistic effort by Bose. “JALOBAYU is a part of a continuing story I am weaving together about gender, empowerment, and the impact of climate change. The same sari was used in other performances, including SUBLIME VIRTUE at the DUMBO Arts Festival and UNWRAPPED at the (e)merge art fair in DC. The performance draws on past mythological and actual narratives and also connects to past performances using these same saris,” she says. “JALOBAYU references narratives, both real and mythological, including the Indian myth of Draupadi, the eternal virgin who was married to five brothers, as well as the true story of my grandmother Johora, who was married at age seven and years later swept away by a cyclone. In South Asian and other cultures, water symbolizes death, destruction, purification, and renewal. Draupadi bathes and become a virgin daily. My plan is to use my work to activate awareness on climate change. This performance launches this new direction in my work.” Bose’s notion that art can make a difference is not unique but it certainly is more dedicated and ongoing than most who take on the mantra of “art can change the world.” The sticky question here is a simple one; how? “I am using my art to give a human face to climate change, which is usually an abstract concept to people. Twelve women's real stories and their worn saris are used in my performances and sari/video installations. By engaging viewers with visceral performances and immersive installations, I first bring about awareness and next trigger them to take action,” she says. “For example, I am doing a series of interactive workshops where participants pledge to reduce their own carbon footprint. My recent Solar Sari Salon in DC showed people film and images from my work in Bangladesh and then signed them up for switching to renewable energy, such as solar and wind. I have recently received a grant from the DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities to do arts programming to increase climate awareness.” She says she hopes the performance in Miami helps people feel a human connection with the people of coastal Bangladesh and empathize with their vulnerable position. “ I hope they will be in touch with me via text or email or check out my website and learn more about these women and then decide to take steps in their own life to reduce carbon emissions.” she says.

Bose lauds Art Week in Miami as a place for artists of all types, from all over the world to come together. “I have gained a great deal every time that I've participated -- by exposure to new types of work, meeting new curators and writers, and interacting with the diverse crowd that comes to look at the art. It is a fantastic opportunity for an artist to have literally thousands of people come and look at your work….” says Bose, adding; “And I really love Miami -- it's melding of cultures, its location on the ocean, and its vibrancy and energy.” After Miami Bose is working on a series of art activism (artivism) events in Washington D.C. to raise awareness and spur action on climate change. In January she returns to Bangladesh, to the island of Barobaishdia to continue who work with the 12 women of Katakhali. “I am initiating a climate knowledge sharing and adaptation workshop in the village in partnership with the International Centre for Climate and Development, “she says. “ Brooklyn-based filmmaker Nandita Ahmed will be coming with me and we will be working together to document the work and create a new film focusing on climate and following these women for the long-term as their lives and climate conditions evolve. Absent immediate action by the world, Katakhali Village and much of coastal Bangladesh is threatened with disappearance. “

Tandem Press, from Madison, Wisconsin and affiliated with the University of Wisconsin Madison, will take part in the Ink Miami Art Fair during Art Week 2014. Ink Miami Art Fair is one of the hidden gems of Art Week in Miami. It isn’t exactly HIDDEN; all you need to do to find it is head to the Dorchester Hotel at 1850 Collins Avenue in Miami Beach, December 3 to 7. Tandem Press is a staple at the fair. Both Ink and Tandem Press specialize in printed work. “Tandem Press is a printer and publisher of limited edition fine art prints. We work with nationally and internationally known artist from around the country. My favorite part of the job is connecting the art lover with the artwork,” says Amy Newell, curator at Tandem. “Often, editioned prints by an artist are more affordable than that artist's unique work. Editioned prints help more people to connect with these artists and artworks. I love helping collectors add internationally known artists to their collection while selling work that is within the collector' budget. “ Newell, a printmaker herself, says she loves everything about printmaking. “I love the processes! I love ink on paper and I really enjoy talking to the visitors about printmaking. Because many of the fairs in Miami show all types of artwork, and not strictly prints, the visitors for the fairs may know a good deal about art but may not know much about printmaking. INK Miami is a great opportunity to meet art lovers and introduce them to the fabulous world of printmaking!” she says.

Scenes From Ink Miami Art Fair 2013

When choosing what work to bring the folks at Tandem have a few things to consider but they always try to select their newest work. They will always have a variety of work in their bins of wrapped prints --which are ALWAYS worth checking out if you are looking to buy prints (a list of artists they are bringing is below). “It is always a challenge determining what artwork we will bring for display… we try to bring our newest work. A print may be old to us but it is not old to the person who has never seen it before,” says Newell. “We have worked with over 60 artists in our 27 years so, as you can imagine, we have so much to choose from! “ Newell says that with Art Week brings visitors from all over the globe and that it is an amazing time to be in Miami for her and everyone at Tandem Press. “We meet so many people that we may never meet any other way.” she says. While you cannot see every fair during Art Week (which now seems to be more than a week) you should make an effort to go to Ink to have a look at Tandem and the other exhibitors there. It is a smaller fair that will not take nearly as long as the larger fairs.

Nohra Haime Gallery, out of New York City, is heading back to Miami and Pulse Art Fair in 2014. The gallery is bringing the work of British-born artist, Natalia Arias. Arias was raised in Columbia and currently lives in Miami. Her work investigates identity, beauty and cultural impositions. A selection of her newest photographs that detail the “complex process of conceiving an idea” will be shown at Pulse. “Through the poetically portrayed object of a light bulb, she reflects on inspiration and the paths that lead to it. Arias considers both triumph and defeat in the process, using light to symbolize it. In Vini, Vidi, Vinci, 2013, her clever use of light and shadow gives a feeling of uncertainty and transformation as a blindfolded woman makes her way through a light bulb forest towards victory,” says Eva Rick, Director of Special Projects at Nohra Haime Gallery “All together, this body of work presents a modern conceptual and visual lexicon that walks towards the questioning of modern life and the proposal of new ideas. Its profound message and reflection is offered in a whimsical and intelligent way.” Rick says Arias’ work is intimate sincere, controversial and super modern. “She combines with absolute perfection a ‘dark’ side of questioning modern life, the cultural clichés and stereotypes that guide our society; and a ‘bright’ side, full of light, confidence and optimism. “ she says.

Holy Mess

Each year the gallery thinks about how their artists would best be presented in Miami. “We try to be varied and stimulating in what we show each year. We give a chance to all of our artists to show in Miami throughout the years, and to the public to see different things,” says Rick. “We always consider the quality of works demanded by the Miami Art Week, its vibrant personality (and how to coordinate it with the works we present), and the composition of a project that will excite and move different types of public. And Miami is one of their favorite yearly art dates. “It gives us the chance to promote our artists, meet new clients and built relationships with them in a stimulating environment. Our gallery is based in New York, so we do get a lot of international clients, but Miami is always a good way to expand our gallery further,” she says. “We have always had a good experience in Pulse, it’s a fun fair, it brings an opened and up-to-date clientele, and we are surrounded by an impressive quality of works and galleries.” Nohra Haime Gallery has been around for over 33 years and has a long history of working closely with the artists on their roster while they also seek out new talent. “Nohra Haime Gallery represents artists from different ages, countries, backgrounds and mediums, adapting to our time and maintaining our projects balanced through this spectrum,” says Rick. “We are proud to constantly expand and collaborate with institutions and museums, and build a strong relationship with the collectors who we advise worldwide.”

Projects Gallery do not have as far to go to participate in Miami's Art Week as many galleries; they can just go up the street (more or less) even if their artists are from further afield. "Art Week in Miami has been, basically, the culmination of the year's efforts and begins the next season at the same time. We will be showing works at Aqua, Red Dot and doing Square Foot Art Basel Miami Redux, a call-to-artists exhibition in our Miami gallery," says Helen Hyder, director of Projects Gallery. "The latter represents approximately 200 12"x12" works from, literally, across the globe, based on the idea of a democratic approach of first come first served as we automatically accept the works of the first 100 artist who apply."

Square Foot Art Basel Miami Redux is a brilliant idea. No curators, no judges-- just artists from across the globe who take the initiative to submit their art to Projects Gallery. YOU, the viewer are the curator and judge. I can see MFAs who don't do art pulling their hair and shrieking "YOU CAN'T DO THAT." In fact, you can. One huge problem in the art world is the various forms of elitism. Projects strike a blow here against all of them (yes, others have done similar things but all too infrequently).

The gallery makes an effort to work with artists who have an unusual approach with materials and whose work shows a mastery of technique.

"Projects Gallery is a gallery that functions with a brick and mortar location but, over the last 10 years, has become increasingly involved in doing art fairs," says Hyder. "The esthetic glue of the gallery has been our interest in artists who work with unique yet ordinary materials, and the challenge has been to build reputations with artists we have worked with for a number of years and at the same time develop and discover new artists who continue to enhance the gallery platform."

Images below from Projects Gallery's Room at Aqua 2013

The gallery show works by the following artists: -Harry Enchin, a software developer and innovative image creator from Toronto, Canada uses archived 100-year-old photographs that are integrated with contemporary reshoots. -Joanne Mattera, art blogger, art critic, curator, writer and artist, who specializes in encaustic works. -Shirley Steele, from Texas , innovatively marries technology and image generation in unique digital printmaking techniques. -Vivian Wolovitz, from the horse country outside of Philadelphia, well-known and extensively shown in New York , wil show new pieces from her Greek residency. -Alex Queral, born in Cuba, creates innovative portraits carved into telephone books. His work is represented in numerous books on contemporary book making and in several museum collections, including Ripley's Believe It or Not! and the Woodmere Museum of Art. -Dana Donaty, from the Miami area, a successful muralist who will be debuting her high-energy, vivid fantasy and reality paintings. -Margery Amdur, fresh from a series of museum shows across the U.S.A, will be installing one of her unique, complex sponge-based sculptures. -Florence Putterman, a practicing 87-year-old icon of women painters, whose work is included in numerous museums and is the subject of numerous art magazine reviews, will be showing work. Her work is held in the collections of the Smithsonian Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. -Ira Upin will show images from his strong-man series (currently on exhibit at Miami's Museum of Contemporary Art and the Venice International Exhibition). -Frank Hyder, from Miami, whose work is in numerous museums in Latin America and the U.S.A., will show examples of his luminaries and mixed media paintings and sculptures. -Boris Renjifo from Cali, Columbia will show his bronze and stone sculptures. -Ross Bonfanti, from Canada, will show his world-renown "concreatures." These “beasts” have been shown from London to Singapore. Hyder says composing a show is a complex process of balancing the visual with the market to "create a bouquet." But there is more to it than the creative and the commercial--there is the mundane, the nuts and bolts. "With so many events happening at exactly the same time, it requires enormous pre-event preparation and then the impossible traffic situation during the fairs makes daily executive infinitely more difficult than normal." she says. Many galleries have difficulties showing at one location while Projects works in many. Be sure to check out their artists and offerings. They really go all out and offer a voice to artists who might not have a chance to "speak" during Art Week in Miami.

Adah Rose Gallery, out of Kensington, Maryland, is once again coming to Miami to show work at Pulse Miami. The gallery is always a highlight at the fair with artists creating provocative work that often differ wildly from one another in form but also form a cohesive aesthetic. The gallery is an excellent fit for Pulse, which features galleries that focus on contemporary artists from around the world. This year Adah Rose Gallery is showing work by: Jessica Drenk, ﻿﻿﻿﻿Randall Lear﻿﻿﻿﻿ and Jim Condron. “Jessica is an artist I have shown in the gallery from the beginning and her work is always a great success in Miami. She is an amazing sculptor with a beautiful aesthetic which includes transforming everyday objects back to nature or fossilizing them and freezing them in time. This year we will have Jessica's elegant WAVE sculpture which is made from the very mundane PVC pipes,” says gallery owner Adah Rose. “They are elegantly carved and sanded by hand and placed in a wood frame. The pure elegance of the work is evident in the natural undulations of the wave, the way light hits it in the day as the light changes, and in the references to music, bamboo, porcelain and china. There are references to the oscillations of both sound and natural waves. We will also have Jessica's carved Book Sculptures where she so exquisitely transforms books back to nature by immersing them in wax and carving them.” Lear, a young MFA from American University in Lancaster, PA, creates playful, colorful work. There is a kinship between his work and Condron. “Randall's work is beautifully crafted and finished. His large installation A Gaggle of Painted Doohickeys is comprised of many smaller works that are applied with great detail and finesse” she says. “The works are refined and take months of thought and painstaking taping and craft. In the end though...they are funny, engaging, cheerful, bright and intelligent. He is also a painter and we have a wonderful series of diptychs playing with architecture and space.”

Randall Lear

Condron, a painter out of Baltimore, uses diverse materials to created 3D wall paintings. His work mixes painting and sculpture. “His works are much more experimental and improvisational. His work is steeped in art history as is Randall's which I like but you would not necessarily see it in the work and they are not looking for the viewer to see it,” says Rose. “Jim uses a bit of casualism in choosing his materials and responds to color first and texture second. They are an attempt at a mature provisional painting style. A combination of study of the past and a desire for playfulness and incongruity of materials. “ Rose says she likes how the quiet simplicity of Drenk’s work contrasts with the humor and brilliant colors of Lear and Condron. “I also like that Jim, Jessica and Randall are creating sculptural work with a play of materials in very different ways.” she says.

Scott had never seen work that was so indifferent to the effect it had on those who came to see it by Jim Condron

Rose says that Miami is, of course, an opportunity to sell work but it is also a way to get people to see the work and learn about the gallery. “I also love talking to people about art. In Miami, thousands of people come through each day which is so exciting compared to the perhaps 10-20 people that might come through the gallery in a week. (more at Openings of course),” says Rose. “I also love meeting and chatting with my fellow gallerists from all over the world and seeing their programs. It is just so cool!” She says she love the Pulse team and the sense of community they create at their fair. “They are helpful, warm, fun and very committed to making every one as happy as possible. I think the caliber of my fellow galleries is very high too and I like the work there which is why I choose PULSE,” she says. “I know that it is also critical to meet art consultants, curators and academics who can boost your gallery by choosing to show one of your artists in a show. I have had great luck meeting wonderful art consultants but so far...no curators. Maybe this year!” Rose says she has good friends in Fort Lauderdale and that Pulse and Art Week in Miami is no more difficult than any other fair. She adds that she only does fairs in areas where she has friends and family to help out. “I am very lucky in that way!” she says. Adah Rose Gallery exists because Rose believes in these artists. Getting people to see, to appreciate and purchase contemporary art is a challenge. “It is difficult to get people to visit the gallery and very few people are genuinely interested in art--let alone contemporary art. I love sitting in my little gallery and seeing the space transformed each month and I am so proud of the work we have shown. When I go to Miami or New York for a fair? You meet people who love art and it reaffirms that art does affect people, that it is important,” says Rose. “I am realistic and know that it is a privilege to show it. Feeding people, housing people and giving people health care is all much more important. In the end though music, poetry, literature, dance and art celebrate our humanity and show the best of us.”

Jessica Drenk

Pentimenti Gallery, from Philadelphia, is heading to Miami to be part of Context/Art Miami. The gallery will be in booth E33 and will feature a solo exhibition of paintings by Osvaldo Romberg. The works on display are from the artist’s series, Dirty Geometry. “Osvaldo is an Argentine artist, curator, and professor who has lived and worked in Philadelphia, New York, Argentina, Austria, etc., “ says gallery co- owner and director, Christine Pfister. “The new paintings and sculptures continue Romberg’s interests in abstraction and abstraction’s historical lineage.” Pfister says one of the most difficult things she does is decide which artist or artists to bring with her to Miami. Every year Pfister considers the gallery’s overarching goal of alternating between group and solo shows. She then looks at her artists and tries to choose the ones that have worked and are ready for the opportunity. “The most difficult thing about bringing Pentimenti to Miami is having to say “no" to the artists I decided not to bring,” he says. “It is always a hard decision as I know many artists strive for the opportunity to be in a fair.” This year this difficult decision led her to Romberg and his unique take on abstraction. “Osvaldo Romberg is exciting for his clear and refined concepts which distinguish his work, especially his abstract works, from those that deal specifically with visual criteria,” says Pfister. “His works succeed at connecting the 15th century to the 21st, while avoiding the pomposity typical of historically-concerned work.”

Christine Pfister, Co-Owner and Director of Pentimenti Gallery

Art Week in Miami is seen as a boon to the city of Miami and its reputation in the art world (and beyond). The week, which seems to be expanding slowly beyond merely a week, matters a great deal beyond South Florida. “Participating in Art Week allows Pentimenti to gain much needed exposure outside of a local frame. Being there gives us (Pentimenti and the artists represented) credibility and puts on an international stage which in-turn raises the prestige of the gallery program at Pentimenti.” says Pfister. Pentimenti, as noted based in Philadelphia (145 North Second St.), has a specific aesthetic. “...usually it is material based, contemporary work that somehow surprises me - whether with color, form, or concept. I search for work that speaks to me and gets me closer to the personal vision I have developed as a curator,” says Pfister. “Additionally, when choosing artists I look for those who have proven that they are serious about their practices and have taken the time to develop an engaging and sincere voice within their work. These are people who have connected their artwork to their livelihood (both financially and/or spiritually), and respect the role the gallery plays in sharing their voice with viewers.” Pentimenti’s booth, whether showing a group of single artist, is always a highlight of Context/Art Miami. Be sure to drop by and check out Romberg’s work.

Artist, videographer and illustrator, Gretchen Hasse, has called Chicago home for over 22 years. She earned an MFA from The School of the Art Institute in 2002 but her artistic life began much earlier. “I always wrote stories, played stories, did everything with stories, as long as I can remember. I started drawing because it helped me tell stories, “says Hasse. “As I got older, I became interested in many different media - animation, video, performance - and used them all to create fantastic dramas.” Hasse is currently working on an electronic graphic novel which is, unsurprisingly, set in Chicago. Freaks’ Progress is a morality tale dealing with various denizens of the city who are trying to get ahead and are confronted with a plethora of issues in their various quests. “This is a story that has been evolving for over twenty years. It will live as a main narrative online, but I also use the characters in my exhibition and public art practice.” says Hasse. “The characters in Freaks’ Progress have grown with me through twenty years in Chicago. Some of them are fantastical in form, and some of them have lived experiences that place them in fantastical circumstances. So again, as in Dickens’ work, the story is character-based, and pretty epic.”Freaks’ Progress is set for release February 2015.

Hasse, originally from Ohio and raised in Idaho, is contributing pieces related to this graphic novel to the prospective Constantly Consuming Culture—The Waterfront art shows (prospective because right now we are still raising money). The concept of the show is to bring artists from Chicago to Miami and from Miami to Chicago for two shows in 2015. The two areas (really not confined JUST to the specific cities) are both defined by their waterfronts. Hasse feels her work fits right in. “There are several key plot points in the Freaks’ Progess story that involve large bodies of water. I’m using the theme of this show to explore those moments in an iconic way,” she says. “The pieces I show will both act as panels in the comic, and also stand on their own as works of art.” But there is more of a connection between her work and the two cities. Two of the main characters in the novel are Cuban “I’m exploring that experience through both general research, and conversation with my boyfriend, who was born in Havana. I look forward to presenting that work in Miami, a place that has such a strong connection to and history with Cuba,” says Hasse. “And honestly, I am also a little nervous about it - because my approach to that history is all second hand at best. I hope to do a good job!”

Outside of the current project Hasse is always thinking about characters and planning out her work. But even with all this planning there is an element of improvisation. “That is especially true when I make videos. I love presenting skilled performers with my ideas, and seeing how they bring them to life. I also look at my own comic characters that way - as creative performers who have their own input,” she says. “I may have an idea for a character that changes dramatically as I implement it, because I gradually realize that the character would do something differently than I had originally expected.” Hasse also feels her work connects with today’s culture in another way—in the ever evolving way people view themselves. “In contemporary culture, it seems like a lot of people look at themselves through the lens of an avatar - an online avatar, their Facebook personality, or a personal brand. The avatar is generally an idealized representation of one’s hopes and dreams,” says Hasse. “Through my characters, I think am creating multiple, very flawed and human avatars; and through them, trying to see situations from many different viewpoints.” When asked about whether she creates art with an audience in mind Hasse is unequivocal. “Definitely - but the aesthetic is also part of the point I’m making. At its heart, my work is about survival, and it is triumphant in that respect,” she says. “But survival requires honesty about who people really are, and about both the stupid and the noble choices that they make.” The artists she feels are inspirational in her life and work are not what you might expect; there are no Picassos or Rembrandts on her list. She looks to people she knows personally for inspiration. Essentially, I admire people whose work is complex, world wise, and uncompromising,” she says.Chris Sullivan, one of Hasse’s own instructors in grad school, is one artist she admires. “He creates intensely surreal narratives that speak directly to your subconscious, without flinching. His background in performance art really shows in the fluid, improvisational quality of his work,” she says. “He recently released a feature length narrative animation, that he produced independently (think about that for a minute, people) called “Consuming Spirits.” If you get any chance to see it, DO IT.” Other artists she admires are Usama and Kristie Alshaibi. “I mention them together because they are married, but they are amazing independently, while also making a fantastic creative team. One of my favorite pieces of theirs is The Amateurs, which is a farcical docudrama about an amateur porn shoot,” says Hasse. “It’s raw and just hilarious, pointing out all sorts of human frailties in the context of a situation where everyone is at their most vulnerable. They also made a film called Nice Bombs, about Usama’s return to his home country to visit his family after the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Usama’s latest work is a documentary called American Arab. Again, their work is unflinching and unorthodox - which I really admire.” She also mentions Tracy Kostenbader, described by Hasse as a “fixture in the Logan Square neighborhood” of Chicago. “..she has been both creating her own art and organizing community arts events for years. Tracy was one of the very first serious social justice activists I ever knew, and she showed me how much dedication is required for both art and activism,” says Hasse. “Recently I’ve been showing in a lot of her neighborhood events, and they’re always incredibly well presented and organized. Tracy’s own work is both monumental and intimate - much of her imagery involves powerfully depicted household objects like utensils, furniture and tools. She’s also a graphic designer and book preservationist; she can do a lot of things very well!” Many of the artists Hasse admires in the Windy City (as you may have noticed) weave social issues into their work. Of course this is no surprise considering Hasse’s own work does likewise. Another socially conscious artist Hasse praises is Laurie Jo Reynolds. “Laurie Jo Reynolds is a force of nature; she combines a background in public policy with a keen knack for social commentary. In grad school, I loved her absurd “documentary” video about a visit to the Thomas Jefferson plantation, and her performance art based play about three southern icons and how they deal with the fall of the south,” says Hasse. “I also taught with her briefly, and her creativity in the classroom betrays an intense devotion to her students. The biggest project of hers I have been involved with is Tamms Year Ten, a multi-year, multi-media project which grew out of a campaign to write letters to prisoners in Tamms SuperMax Prison in southern Illinois. Long story short, that campaign helped raise awareness of human rights abuses in that facility, and also helped to ultimately shut it down. Finally Hasse talks about her appreciation for self-taught cinematographer, ﻿Anike Bey﻿. “She needed someone to do sound on her film, Girls Like Us 2.0,the second installment in a series focusing on African American lesbian relationships. Anike spent years working in social service. A couple years ago she started her MFA in film at Governor’s State, and she has since created two films with a fiercely dedicated audience,” says Hasse. “In the latest installment, she addresses domestic abuse in the lesbian community. She works tirelessly, learns constantly, and tells a good story. She’s also very focused on the money aspect of the business, which is something I can always learn from.”

﻿Hasse Talks About "Freaks' Progress" In Her 2013 Indiegogo campaign﻿

Stephen Emmer released his latest LP, International Blue, in September, 2014. The record, produced by Tony Visconti, features the vocal talents of Midge Ure from Ultravox and Glenn Gregory of Heaven 17 (among other talented vocalists). The recording is homage to and updating of the music of the pop crooner. Emmer was listening to the music at the top of the charts and he found something lacking, not the usual complaints about pop music either. "The thing is, most current songs have one section, then another. It is very predictable. I want to listen to songs from the past that are more ingenious. They sound normal but not under the hood." says Emmer. "The songs? Most have this jump in the melody; it is always the same with all these talent shows." Emmer is not, however, looking to recreate the past. "Though we like to refer back to what is good in the past it would be a pastiche," he says. "I am aiming at a slightly edgier thing like Brian Wilson, Scott Walker or the best of Frank Sinatra." Emmer points to the only pop LP in Sinatra's catalog, Watertown. "That was a very exotic album that where Frank tried to do pop in an almost Bowie sort of way." he says. The album hearkens back to another time but, as noted, was looking to recreate rather than regurgitate the same old thing. They needed someone to help bring the crooner into modern music. "We wanted to do it with a correct production style." says Emmer. To this end the estimable Visconti was brought on board. Visconti has been working in music for decades. He produced some of the greatest rock LPs of the early 1970s (and beyond). His credits include Bowie LPs such as The Man Who Sold The World, Low, Heroes, Scary Monsters and the recent The Next Day. He was also producer of the classic T Rex album, Electric Warrior. He has worked with a who's who of rock music for well over 30 years as producer and musician. Emmer says that Visconti brought knowledge of the old school ways of recording has vast knowledge of modern techniques and tools. "He is like a mental candy store. You can ask him 'what was the bass guitar Paul McCartney used?' Any other producer would say "I'll give you that." and you'd still sound like yourself," says Emmer. And he still knows all about plug-ins and modern software.

Emmer was inspired in this project, in part, because of his long history in music. "I've been composing, arranging and producing for a long time. In the early 80s was the arrival of first tech, synths. I learned to use it abut grew out of it, felt it was too rigid," he says. "I listened to Wrecking Crew and other musicians. What I learned is it's more to do with taking characteristics of something. I wouldn't do a Temptations song "Stephen emmer-style". I didn’t want this new LP to be a nod to past or to be obvious." Emmer started the project looking for baritone voices. In addition to the aforementioned Gregory and Ure Emmer lined up: Liam McKahey and Neil Crossley. Most projects have enough on their hands with one singer. "The reason I started making instrumentals is that most vocalists are divas! The first time we got together in London was the first time we met live. Singers are used to being focused on, the center of attention." he says. Ego left the room in this instance. "They were all good sports and supported each other." says Emmer. The work went smoothly and Emmer has experience working with vocalists. "I do scoring for docs and TV shows sometimes they are vocals and have to be African or French or Italian. I am used to being a vocal coach," he says."What I liked is that they felt challenged by the melodies I wrote for them. They usually write their own. They were pleasantly surprised with me taking them out of their comfort zone.” The first singer on board was McKahey. Emmer first heard him in a record store in Amsterdam. "They were playing music with this great baritone voice.” he says. When he inquired who it was he was told Cousteau, from England. Emmer tracked the singer down using the magic of the internet. McKahey had emigrated to Australia and wasn't no longer involved in making music. Gregory was next on the list. "We had a mutual friend, the late Billy Mackenzie of Associates. Untouchable is a tribute to him." says Emmer. Neil Crosby was next. He says he saw a clip on the internet "And, again, a couple of clicks and it was "Neil, you don't know me but..." says Emmer. "Glenn (Gregory) brought up midge Ure who was busy touring in Europe. He was headlining in Europe supporting Alice Cooper," he says. "He said 'I’d like to do this but I have no time.' I said, like a lover; I will wait for you. He took a mic and did the vocals in the closet of a German hotel." This record was created using laptops and mics in closets but it was mixed at Abbey Road Studios. "We used low end and high end, the past and the future." he says. It is tough to do a tour with a project like this but shows are possible--both large scale orchestral performances and scaled down versions.